About this playlist

Over the last 20 years, few places outside Jamaica have had dancehall scenes as vibrant as that of New York City. This is hardly a surprise -- before dancehall, reggae soundsystem culture was a key factor in the birth of hip-hop, and Brooklyn neighborhoods like Flatbush and Crown Heights have long been a hub for Caribbean immigrants. Here, we've assembled a playlist that starts with classic tunes from Super Cat and the all-star Ruff Entry Crew (featuring Shaggy, Rayvon, Super Cat, Screechy Dan and Red Fox) and proceeds to the present day, where artists like Ricky Blaze and producers like Dre Skull continue bridging the country-to-country gap.